Ordered some letter-size Epson Hot Press sheet paper (both bright and natural type) to try. I could not tell which side is the printable side. The two sides looked identical to me (for both bright and natural). Is it double-sided?

(I can try printing on both sides the same image and see if there's difference, but I'd like to ask at here too).

There should be a very subtle difference in the surface. You can often gently drag your fingernail over the surface at the edges. The coated print side will have a slight bit more drag than the backside. It's subtle though. You can also try the lick test...the coated side sucks liquid more than the backside. Once you determine the correct side, the rest of the paper will have the same order.

thanks for your information, Dano. This weekend I tried printing on both side and indeed the difference is so minimum. The only difference I could notice with my eyes is that the "printable side" has slightly more shadow detail. But this difference is so slight; slight enough that the paper, effectively, can be treated as double-sided for most of my work.

Dano .... I was having the same debate with myself as to which was the "printable" side on Epson Hot Press Natural. I seem to notice a slightly more textured surface on the printable side (as indicated by the sticker on the plastic bag the paper is in). Is this in fact the case? There was a slight mark on the printable side of a sheet so rather then throw it out I turned it over and printed on the back (smoother side) and it seemed to turn out quite well.

The Epson information is a bit ambiguous on the coatings. I have seen the sheets described as dual side coated but in Dano's comment it looks like the coatings are not equal.

For the natural versions Sihl and Papergraphics have very similar papers that are single side coated in the manufacturers' description and the weight difference to the Epson papers suggest that is the case.

Cold Press Natural is our greeting card media - that is, printable on both sides. The rougher side, face up in the box or on a roll - is the "right" side but both sides take ink equally well to my eye.